Improvement in processes and apparatus for the manufacture of steel



- l. HERSEY] Improvement in Process and Apparatus for the Manufacture of Steel and Treating Metals. N0."l30,637. I I Patented Aug. 20,187f2.

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INVENTOHI THUG/MPH]? mmzl'assornvzis PROCESS} UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIICE.

IRA HERSEY, OF FORT EDWARD, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT lN PROCESSES AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF STEEL, AND TREAT- ING METALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 130,637, dated August- 20, 1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,1311 HERSEY, of the town of Fort Edward, county of Washington, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reverberatory Furnaces for Manufacturing Steel and Refining Metals, of which the following is a specification:

Object and Advantages.

. blomary. direct to the hearth-floor of this furnace, to be treated as hereinafter explained.

The drawing shows the form and peculiarity of my invention.

. Figure 1 represents a longitudinal section of the furnace.

A represents thefire-grate. B represents the fire-bridge. 0 represents a steam-jet. D represents the metal-basin. E represents a descending hearth-floor, of sufficient elevation to allow the metal to flow freely into the basin D. F represents a flue-bridge. G represents a stove or oven for heating metal with the waste heat, preparatory to the transfer of same to the hearth-floor E. H represents the arch .fire-flue, constructed under the hearth and metal-basin, and connecting with the stack I. J represents a blast air-flue, passing under the fire-flue and into the chamber under the fire-grate bars.

Fig. 2 represents an end view of the furnace, showing the steam-jets C. Fig. 3 represents a cross-section of the furnace taken at line 2 2, showing fire-arch H, air-flue J ,"and bridge-flue F.

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The in-walls of the furnace, also the firefiues, are constructed of the best kind of firebrick. The hearth-floor should be covered, in

thickness of about four inches, with a mixture of plumbago, tire-clay, and sand, or with old crucibles and coke, well pulverized and mixed, or a portion of each will make a good lining,

and which can be easily-replaced. The metalis twofold-a great saving of heat and labor,

and the more easy and quick conversion into steel or semi-steel by recarbonizing with chemica1s,pig-iron, or spiegeleisen, or with a portion of each. The chemicals, composed of manganese, prussiate potash, charcoal, and salt, and sometimes sal-ammoniac, or their equiv alents, should be finely pulverized and mixed together, and put in cans of one pound each, made of thin sheet-iron or zinc. The same should be placed in the furnace under the metal as soon as the same is brought to a white heat, and in such quantity as may be required to carburize for either high or low steel. Chrome ore, also a silicious ore known as Codorus, can be used in this mode of retining and conversion to great advantage.

The peculiar form of this furnace, in com bination with the steam-jet, as patented by me May 7, 1872, No. 126,546, places this process of refining and carburizing iron, or reducing and refining copper and other metals, wholly under the control and intelligence of the operator. Any degree of heat, required can be quickly obtained, applied, and .shut off, as may at any time be necessary. The metal as fast as melted flows into the basin, combi-ned with scoria, which immediately separates and rises to the top, and serves to prevent the metal from oxidizing. Both can be tapped 0E on either side of the furnace, and in such quantity as may be found most expedient.

1 claim, thereforel. The improvement of an inclined hearth I floor connecting with a receiving-basin, for any kind of melted metal, as described.

2. The improvement of transferring iron in ball form, while hot, from a furnace or from a blomary fire direct to a hearth-floor, where floor and basin, the steam-jets, heating-oven, the same can be carburized, melted, and run fire-flue, air-fine, and the mode of introducing into ingots or other forms 0f steel castings. carbon and flnx-a-s described, as a process.

3. The introduction or adding of chemicals, IRA HERSEY. substantially such as herein described, inclosed in sheet'metall cans, for the purpose of Witnesses:

fluxing and reearbonizing, as described. J. F. ROBERTS,

4. The whole, in combination-the hearth- SAM. T. PREUHID. 

